The Best Word Ever

What if there was one little word that wrapped up everything you wanted to be true about God? What if you could make a wish list of all the things you would want God to feel about you and then squish them all, simultaneously down into one little word? If that word existed, wouldn’t you want it to be true and wouldn’t you want that word to be all over the place in the Bible, showing up hundreds of times?

Well, that little word does exist and it’s everywhere! The old Hebrew word is “hesed,” (although, to say it the right way, you need to sound like you’re hocking a loogie) and the weird thing is, that little word is so completely loaded with meaning, that we’ve never really been able to translate it into our language. The first dude who translated the Bible into English invented the word, “lovingkindness” to try to wrap it all up, but that didn’t really get it done. That little word, “hesed” means so much! 

Okay, take this list of words and mash them all up into one, bursting, overwhelming emotion from the heart of God toward you: 

Love

Commitment

Kindness

Loyalty

Mercy

Devotion

Promise

Affection

Protection

Favor

Goodness

Unchangingness

That’s what “hesed” means! All of those things at the same time, smashed down, shaken together and running over! The Bible says that word over 240 times! God loves you! He’s devoted to you! He’s never going to change His mind about you and He has promised to feel this way and He’s good and kind and He really, really likes you! Wow. 

“Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You.” - Psalm 63:3